I Am Tired Of Being A Hero-Chapter 182: Secrets

Ravi recalled the man who was similar to an ice sculpture and nodded sympathetically causing Arlen to laugh.

"I am not sure how to ask this...em"

"Three husbands?" Arlen said, chuckling as he opened the car for Ravi to enter inside and shut it after him. It was not like a surprise for those in the Capital and Arlen had seen books and novels that so represented the plot of what people thought brought about the rare marriage.

He watched Ravi look embarrassed for a second and laughed.

"It is even more melodramatic than the play we saw now."

Ravi sat up, looking at him with interest, "Really?"

Arlen nodded, "My grandfather had only one child. My mother. He is a more patriarchal kind of person so my mother had to continuously prove herself to him in order to be recognized as heir to our family. Well, he still refused unless she got married. That was the only way he could hand over the family to her. He would only be assured if there was a man next to her."

"In this modern era?" Ravi asked. Sure, he had encountered such schools of thought before, but it had always been in the kind of society more backward, where strength determined survival. In a world with abilities, where a woman can crush your head faster than you can say her name, it was almost foolish to have such a school of thought.

"I said the same thing. I actually told Rey was pulling my legs but Anouk confirmed and Anouk does not lie."

"And what happened?"

Arlen suddenly smiled, "So you are hooked on the story right? It is not for free, what would you give me for the story?"

Ravi looked at him for a minute and then moved his seat, making it lean back, he then closed his eyes, ignoring Arlen.

Someone who loves telling stories like Arlen.

One. Two. Three. Four.

"Fine, you don’t have to be so mean. I will tell you. Sit up. Open your eyes." Arlen nudged, causing Ravi to chuckle and sit up. He leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips.

"So, what happened next?":

"My grandfather conducted a...spousal examination."

"You are joking."

"I am serious. Like levels of the test and more than 3000 men signed up, there had to be at least 7 points in your handsomeness to sign up but they did."

"3000 men."

Arlen nodded, "It is mostly hush-hush. Old and rich families sent representatives, and stuff like that. The main media did not carry it but there were hints and speculation. What is it?"

3000 men from old and rich families all gathered to compete for the hand of a woman in this modern century, it was almost surreal. He looked at Arlen, he knew he was rich from the first time that he had met him and Malik had also warned him that Alen was from a very rich family but he had underestimated just how powerful the family was.

Sinclair. Ravi could recall hearing about them sometimes in the news. But it was mostly gadgets...This was a little troublesome. How would such a family take to their son having a boyfriend of unknown origins?

It would not take much for such a family to find out that his documents were all faked.

"Ouch!" His forehead was flicked and he looked up at Arlen.

"What is wrong?" freewebnσvel.cѳm

"Was just thinking? You are very rich, should we go and have Seafood in another country?" He teased.

Arlen burst out laughing.

"Which country? Should we go to Azura and try their Valladin Cod? Maybe close down Arcadia and have dinner there? Should we airlift..."

Ravi could not bear to hear anymore, "Just continue the story."

Arlen laughed one more time, "You don’t want us..."

"Arlen!"

"Alright. Alright. Where was I? There were a lot of tests and in the end, there was no clear winner. 3 people have the exact score. My grandfather wanted them to undergo one more test but my mother called everything off, saying that she would marry the three of them. ’One man should not be enough. Surely, you would be more reassured with three’ That was Rey said my mother said but she was not there. So that is the little ol’ Sinclair family. Mom, Dad, Pop and Papa, Rey, Anouk and Me. I am the most lovable."

Ravi smiled, "You are the best, I am sure. You are rich, it is even more interesting than the drama. Your family sounds lovely, Arlen. Your mom is..."

Arlen chuckled, "Thank you, Ravi. Oh! I forgot, and Silas. He is my sister’s husband."

"Was there also..."

"Of course not. My mom is all for us, marrying who we want. She is nothing like my granddad."

"It would not matter though. I would win more than 3000 contestants for your hand." Ravi said seriously.

"I like the sound of that. You, fighting for us. Not physically but...Ravi, I like this. I love us so I am going to work the best I can to make sure we are happy." Arlen said quietly.

Ravi looked at those resolute eyes and he felt as if there was something lodged in his throat. He could not even tell Arlen about his family or the lack thereof, because he had already told him that Asher was his nephew.

"I want that to. But Arlen..." He felt like scratching his throat so he could breathe even better, "I...There are things. There are so many things that I have not told you. About me." He felt like he was crazy, what on earth was he saying but facing such sincere and pure words, Ravi could not continue like this, "I want to tell but I...Arlen, please, please don’t hate me."

Arlen pulled him into a hug, circling his arm around Ravi.

"I would never hate you, Ravi. I can’t hate you. I love you, no matter what you did or who you are, or what you are keeping. I know. I know you have secrets, lots of secrets." Arlen’s voice was measured and calm. His fingers traced the outline of Ravi’s neck and slowly fumbled up each bone along his vertebrae. Then he buried his fingers in the soft hair, caressing it as if he was stroking a most precious treasure, "Ravi, to me, you are the end game. So we have time, we have all the time in the world. Don’t feel compelled to tell everything just yet. You can even make it a plan, a secret on my birthday or yours."

’A plan."

"En. Like a yearly subscription. I love you, Ravi. So much."

He was crazy. Ravi thought hazily, then he buried his face in Arlen’s neck to greedily breathe in that familiar smell. This was how his ’home’ smelled like.

"Okay. I will tell you one now."